<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Stay by Hevheia</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30125181">Stay</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hevheia/pseuds/Hevheia'>Hevheia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Old Guard Duolingo Prompts [21]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Old Guard (Movie 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Temporary Character Death, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Pining, Pre-Canon, Sharing a Bed, aka how they came to sleep like That</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 02:23:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,481</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30125181</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hevheia/pseuds/Hevheia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After an ambush, it takes Nicolò too long to come back to life. In his fear, Yusuf finally realizes something.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Old Guard Duolingo Prompts [21]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1952467</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>254</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Only the second part is based on a duolingo prompt for my one year streak celebration on tumblr. The first part was written for the prompt: “Can you shut up for once in your life?”</p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sometimes, Yusuf regrets learning Nicolò’s language, because now he can actually understand what he’s saying the whole time. For despite how quiet and shy Nicolò comes off as, he turns out to be annoyingly talkative, practically preaching about the smallest of subjects. And the knowledge that Yusuf can now finally understand him has only seemed to encourage him, much to Yusuf’s frustration.</p>
<p>Only… Yusuf is not entirely honest with himself. </p>
<p>He knows something has changed. <i>He</i> has changed. He doesn’t feel nearly as annoyed as he used to, as he still pretends to be. He finds Nicolò’s voice agreeable, the cadence melodious, sometimes he even gets carried away a little in its gentle swaying, imagining it whispering him to sleep. But it’s not only his voice that Yusuf has begun to appreciate more. He notices a change in Nicolò’s words, a change in how he sees and talks about the world around them. He hears echoes of discussions they had in the past, and is surprised to discover Nicolò has actually listened to him and even changed his own worldview according to his new insights. It sparks something in Yusuf’s chest he isn’t ready yet to explore any further.</p>
<p> Nicolò does not need to know any of this, of course.</p>
<p>One day, they are ambushed in their sleep. Yusuf wakes up to Nicolò yelling his name, already warding off the first attacker that reaches them. He manages to buy Yusuf just enough time to grab his scimitar and jump upright, just in time to parry a blow.</p>
<p>Even though their teamwork has improved greatly since the first time they had to fight together, there are simply too many enemies for them to handle. Yusuf is having trouble defending himself against two of them, unable to make an attack of his own. </p>
<p>“NO!” he hears behind him. Nicolò.</p>
<p>Instinctively, he turns around. Only to see Nicolò lunge himself between him and another attacker who is bringing his mace down to strike Yusuf. It lands on Nicolò’s head instead with a sickening sound and Nicolò collapses. </p>
<p>Yusuf feels like his skin and all his insides are being torn apart. But before he can raise his scimitar to avenge his fallen friend, several stabs in his back take him away from the world.</p>
<p>When he comes back to life -clenching his teeth and breathing hard because it hurts every goddamn time- and opens his eyes, the first thing he sees is Nicolò’s caved in head. His glassy eyes staring into oblivion. </p>
<p>He should have been awake by now.</p>
<p>Yusuf scrambles up, forgetting his own pain, and hangs over Nicolò. He doesn’t even notice the attackers are still in sight, doesn’t even think about chasing them down while he still can.</p>
<p>“Nicolò,” he says, his voice high and panicked. “Nicolò, wake up.” </p>
<p>His hand trembles as it hovers over Nicolò’s face, the horrifying wound that makes Yusuf’s stomach turn. He bites back a cry.</p>
<p>“Wake up, Nicolò. Don’t leave me.” His hands grab onto Nicolò’s shirt now, and shake him as if the shaking will restart his heart somehow. “Don’t leave me, Nicolò. Don’t- don’t-”</p>
<p>He chokes on the words and stops shaking Nicolò, still clutching the fabric of his shirt. “You can’t just leave like this,” he says through gritted teeth. “It’s not fair. It’s not fair after all you’ve done to me. You can’t make me-”</p>
<p>He cannot even finish the sentence out loud. </p>
<p>
  <i>You can’t make me love you and then leave.</i>
</p>
<p>“Come back,” he whispers, hanging his head, his fingers loosening their grip. “Please.”</p>
<p>Yusuf sits there for what feels like an eternity, wondering what kind of twisted joke God and the universe were playing on him, how he could ever move on from this. Then, something beats beneath his hand. It’s weak, barely there at all, but when Yusuf opens his eyes in surprise, he sees Nicolò’s head is healing. </p>
<p>All the breath leaves him so quickly he feels lightheaded. He shivers with relief and tears spring to his eyes now fear slowly releases him from its claws. Nicolò draws his first breath and groans through his agonizing resurrection.</p>
<p>When the pain has subsided, he blinks. “Yusuf,” he says, surprise evident in his voice. Then he shoots upright, looking around. “You let them get away?”</p>
<p>It is not what Yusuf expected Nicolò to say. He tears his eyes from Nicolò and only now does he notice the absolute chaos around them. Their whole camp has been turned upside down. But Yusuf can’t find it in himself to care. He looks back at Nicolò, to make sure he is alive and breathing, to make sure he won’t leave him again. </p>
<p>“You let them take our weapons? Our horses?” Nicolò asks. “How are we going to resupply when we have no money? You should have stopped them, Yusuf. You know I would have been fine. You should have gone after them and-”</p>
<p>“Nicolò,” Yusuf interrupts him, taking a deep breath. “Can you shut up for once in your life?”</p>
<p>Nicolò turns to him and already opens his mouth to answer. To Yusuf’s surprise, nothing comes. For a long time, they sit there in silence, Nicolò’s hand in Yusuf’s. Yusuf keeps his fingertip on Nicolò’s pulse, just to reassure himself Nicolò will always come back to him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was written for the wonderful <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/starstrek/pseuds/starstrek">starstrek</a>, whose boundless enthusiasm about my fics is more than I deserve! Thank you for everything, dear Bea! &lt;3</p>
<p>Prompt: I want to stay here (Io voglio stare qua)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yusuf is afraid of falling asleep. Or not afraid of falling asleep exactly, but afraid of what might happen in their sleep. He can’t shake off the image of Nicolò staring empty-eyed into the distance with an unnatural dent in his head above his brow, can’t forget the sound of the mace meeting Nicolò’s head. It still shudders through Yusuf’s bones.</p>
<p>Yusuf wanted to reconsider their decision of not keeping watch anymore at night. But Nicolò waved his concerns away. It was unnecessary to cut short their much-needed rest since they could never die anyway. Nicolò did, however, agree to Yusuf’s (very casual) proposition of sleeping close together so Nicolò could wake him more easily should it happen again.</p>
<p>So Yusuf lies there, listening to Nicolò’s soft breathing. He glances over once in a while to where Nicolò is lying with his back to him. Still there, still safe.</p>
<p>When the memories of the attack keep returning over and over like waves lapping the shore, Yusuf shifts closer to Nicolò ever so slightly. Nicolò doesn’t seem to notice. He’s probably fast asleep already. Before he can stop himself, Yusuf moves as close as he dares, until he’s only a couple of inches away from Nicolò’s back. </p>
<p>
  <i>He’s here. He’s safe.</i>
</p>
<p>He lets his breath escape him slowly, taking comfort in Nicolò’s warmth. </p>
<p>But then Nicolò moves and Yusuf grows rigid when he reaches behind him. He takes hold of Yusuf’s arm and draws it around himself, pulling Yusuf even closer in the process so any remaining space between them disappears. </p>
<p>Yusuf holds his breath. Nicolò must be dreaming, must not be thinking clearly, must mistake him for someone else. But Nicolò’s voice takes all his doubts away.</p>
<p>“Sono qui, Yusuf. Sono qui.”</p>
<p>Yusuf relaxes, and sleeps.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>They don’t speak of it the next day. And when they go to sleep that night, they keep to their own sides again. Yusuf resolves to do better this night and closes his eyes.</p>
<p>He manages to fall asleep, but wakes in the middle of the night, screaming.</p>
<p>“Who’s there?” Nicolò is sitting upright, knife drawn, looking around for danger.</p>
<p>“No one,” Yusuf says, still trembling. “I’m sorry, it was just- just a nightmare.”</p>
<p>Nicolò lowers the knife, then hides it again beneath his pillow. “What was it about?”</p>
<p>Yusuf firmly closes his eyes to ward off the images, but opens them again when it has the opposite effect. “You. The attack.”</p>
<p>It is silent for a while, and Yusuf is about to say Nicolò should go back to sleep, but suddenly Nicolò’s hand is stroking his hair.</p>
<p>“Do you want to hold me again?”</p>
<p>Yusuf looks at Nicolò who is watching his own hand as it moves over Yusuf’s curls. He swallows and nods. “Please.”</p>
<p>And so Nicolò turns again with his back to Yusuf and Yusuf moves up against him to embrace him. He sighs in relief as he feels Nicolò solid and safe in his arms and tries his best not to hold him too tightly. </p>
<p>After a while, when he notices Nicolò hasn’t fallen asleep yet and his own heart and mind have eased once again, he forces himself to move away. But Nicolò’s hand grasps his arm and refrains him.</p>
<p>“I want to stay here,” Nicolò mutters. “In your arms.”</p>
<p>After a couple of seconds, Yusuf presses close again, brushing his lips against the back of Nicolò’s neck. “Be careful, or I might never let you go.”</p>
<p>There’s a soft squeeze in his arm. And right when Yusuf drifts off, Nicolò whispers, “I wouldn’t mind.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>